Listener Crossword 4044: Solution Notes
OOOOPPPP by Raich
Puzzle explanation
Extra letters spelt “highlight container — twenty-nine letters — use Parkinson’s Law”. In accordance with the law coined by Cyril Northcote Parkinson (born July 30, 1909) work expands to fill the time available for its completion (see The Chambers Dictionary). The letters of “work”, thus expanded fourfold in each row, are contained in a spirally-written “time available for its completion”, which was to be highlighted. The title, OOOOPPPP, represented another fourfold horizontal expansion of “work” in the form of the abbreviation OP.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra letter |
Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | H | TRANSPLANTING | T’ + R + ANS + PLAN + THING |
| 11 | I | METATHORAX | TIME * + A + THOR + A + X |
| 13 | G | AZALEA | GAZON – ON + A + LEA |
| 14 | H | PIETÀ | I in PATHE * |
| 15 | L | HEREROS | HERE + ROLE, E to S |
| 17 | I | LOADED | (P)L(ut)O(cr)A(t) + DIED |
| 18 | G | RIPPLET | GRIP + PLEAT – A |
| 20 | H | IONIC | I + ON + ICH |
| 23 | T | MIME | MIT + ME |
| 24 | C | AVATAR | A + VC + A + TAR |
| 25 | O | NATO | NOA(h) + TO |
| 27 | N | ILEAC | NIL + E + A/C |
| 28 | T | OLDEN | LOT < + DEN |
| 29 | A | TURF | FAR-OUT < – O |
| 31 | I | RATED | IRATE + D |
| 35 | N | ONST | SONNET * – E(roticism) |
| 37 | E | BALE | BEA + LE |
| 38 | R | SHAPIRO | SHARP + IRO(n) |
| 43 | T | ELDER | TENDER, L for N |
| 44 | W | PILAF | (FAW + LIP) < |
| 45 | E | PENANG | PENANCE, G for C |
| 46 | N | ALLYL | ALLY + NL |
| 47 | T | REATTAIN | RET about A + ’TAINT |
| 48 | Y | DAY | Hidden |
| 49 | N | SEES | S + E + ENS |
| 50 | I | REESTY | IT’S EERY * |
| Down | |||
| 2 | N | RECEIVAL | RECENT RIVAL – TR |
| 3 | E | NAZE | NE + AZ + E(vacuate) |
| 4 | L | STARLIT | RATS < + LILT |
| 5 | E | PHLOEM | (HOME + (h)ELP) * |
| 6 | T | ARALIA | A LARIAT * |
| 7 | T | NAPOO | NAP + TOO |
| 8 | E | INEDITED | I + NEED + IT + ED |
| 9 | R | NOTE | Two definitions (NOTRE) |
| 10 | S | GRADGRINDERY | GRAD + GRINDS + E(lectric) + RY |
| 12 | U | PHRENITIS | H in PRE + UNIT + IS |
| 16 | S | STEW | Two definitions (STEWS) |
| 19 | E | PATERNALLY | PATE + RN + ALLEY |
| 21 | P | NAIL | NAP + IL |
| 22 | A | CASE | CA + SEA |
| 26 | R | OAFS | RAF in OS |
| 30 | K | STIFLE | ST + IF + ELK < |
| 32 | I | ABLATE | A + BLAI(n) + T(o)E |
| 33 | N | TAD | T + AND |
| 34 | S | ELEGIT | ’E’S + LEG IT |
| 36 | O | KENTE | KEYNOTE – Y |
| 39 | N | HILA | HI + LAN |
| 40 | S | RARE | LARES, L to R |
| 41 | L | OPES | LOPES |
| 42 | A | FEAR | FA about EAR |
| 44 | W | PAD | PAW + D |